Conveyer having means to discharge refuse carried beneath the conveyer



June 10, 1952 2,600,056

- L. H. JONES CQNVEYER HAVING MEANS TO DISCHARGE REFUSE CARRIED BENEATH THE CONVEYER Filed April 5, 1950 |,14 I g I i. 2

B) H 2 I INVENTOR. LESL/E HESS JONES ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 10, 1952 'CONVEY-ER HAVING MEEANS .TO.IDISCHARGE REFUSE CARRIED BENEAT H -THE VEYER Leslie Hess 'Jones, Memphis, Tenn., "assignor -to' E. L. Bruce Company, MemphiaTenn a-corporation of Delaware Application April 5, 1950, 'SerialNo. 154,147

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to an improvement in apparatus for finishing wood flooring.

Heretofore apparatus for the factory finishing of wood flooring has comprised an endless belt conveyor adapted to convey flooring units, as strips or lengths of wood flooring or wood flooring blocks, into operative relation with means for applying a finishing composition, means for spreading, working in and removing excess of the applied finishing composition, means for drying the finishing composition, means for the application of wax and finally means for finishing or polishing the flooring lengths or blocks. Apparatus for the finishing of wood flooring as heretofore used is well exemplified by the disclosure of United States patent, Reissue No. 23,002, dated May 18, 1948, to Partee and Gray.

Such apparatus as heretofore used has proved generally satisfactory, but has been found to possess certain disadvantages, more particularly in that in the application and removal of excess finishing composition and in the polishing after the application of wax, a certain amount of finishing composition and wax together with brush fibers and accumulated dirt works to the underside of the conveyor and accumulates and dries or hardens between the conveyor and the supporting plate thereof, with the result that the surface of the conveyor becomes irregular and strips or lengths of flooring, or wood flooring blocks, do not lie level thereon and hence do not present a level surface to the various instrumentalities, as brushes, buffers, etc. which act to spread, work in and remove excess of the applied finishing composition and wax and effect final finishing or polishing of the flooring.

Now in accordance with this invention, means are provided in connection with apparatus for the factory finishing of wood flooring in the form of strips, lengths or blocks, by which the accumulation of finishing composition, Wax, brush fibers and accumulated dirt beneath the conveyor is eliminated with assurance that the surface of the conveyor will be level so that strips or lengths of wood flooring, or Wood flooring blocks, will lie level thereon and present a level surface to the various instrumentalities for effecting finishing as they are conveyed into operative relationship therewith.

Having now indicated, in a general way, the nature and purpose of this invention, I will proceed to a, detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a view, partly in section, showing in detail an embodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side view showing the association of the embodiment of this invention, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, with other instrumentalities of apparatus for the factory finishing of wood floormg.

In connection with the following description reference is made to the disclosure of United States patent, Re. No. 23,002, heretofore referred to and which is made a part hereof.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 indicates a supporting frame which supports side frames 2, 2, between which runs an endless belt 3, supported by a sheet metal plate 4.

The sheet metalplate 4 is formed in discontinuous sections, the adjacent ends 4, 4 of which are spaced apart, the adjacent end portions being supported by cross members 5, 5 extending between the side frames 2, 2.

Suspended from the cross members 5, 5 is a receiver, as a trough 6, which extends laterally of and below the conveyor belt 3 across the gap between the spaced apart ends 4', 4' of the metal plate 4. The bottom of the trough 6 slopes from one end of the trough to the other, i. e., from one side of and beneath the conveyor belt 3.

With more particular reference to Figure '3, as in the apparatus disclosed in United States patent, Re. No. 23,002, l5 indicates a spray booth for the application of finishing composition to fiooring on the conveyor belt 3, While 1 indicates a brush, driven by a motor 9, for spreading finishing composition applied to the flooring on the conveyor belt and a burlap pad buifer is indicated at [0, driven by a motor H, adapted to further spread and effect removal of excess finishing composition. Heating means, for drying the finishing composition, as banks of infra-red lamps, are indicated at [2. Means for the application of wax are indicated at I B, and a brush for polishing is indicated at l3, driven by a motor M.

In operation, as will now, it is believed, be obvious, as the conveyor belt :3 travels over the supporting plate 4, any dried or semi-dried finishing composition, wax, brush fibers and dirt which accumulate under the conveyor belt will be carried along to be dropped into the trough 6 extending laterally of the conveyor belt across the gap between adjacent ends of sections of plate 4.

As will be obvious, finishing composition, wax, etc. collecting in trough 6 will be readily removed therefrom manually.

It will be appreciated that the plate 4 may be formed in as many sections, with gaps between adjacent sections, as may be desired or necessary to effect removal of any undesired accumulation of finishing composition, wax, brush fibres, dirt, etc. beneath the conveyor belt 3 to an extent such as to cause the upper surface of the belt and flooring units thereon to be out of level when presented to the several instrumentalities for effecting finishing.

What is claimed is:

A conveyor adapted for use in finishing flooring units comprising an endless belt, the upper reach of said belt being supported on a plurality of spaced sections of metal plate and a single receiver extending laterally of and completely beneath said upper reach of said belt between said spaced sections of metal plate, said receiver being formed in the shape of a trough having the bottom thereof sloping in a single plane laterally of the longitudinal extension of the conveyor, and having the side walls of said trough of a height such that the upper end of the sloping bottom of the trough is spaced a substantial distance below the top of said trough.

LESLIE HESS JONES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 841,085 Gilman Jan. 8, 1907 1,527,486 Manierre Feb. 24, 1925 1,862,101 Pax June 7, 1932 

